In the footsteps of Tom Dumoulin: From Giro 2017 to Giro 2018

Tom Dumoulin is everywhere. Is he the most complete rider in the world in 2018? The only one who can threaten Chris Froome in the big Tour? The Dutchman, who lives in Flanders, won the Tour of Italy in 2017. In the hundredth edition of the Giro, a Dutchman stood on the highest podium for the first time. Everything that makes racing so beautiful, the enthusiast found in these three weeks full of tension and drama. Tom Dumoulin took back the pink jersey after a legendary time trial on the final day. The fact that it was still so exciting was mainly due to Dumoulin's infamous and now world-famous toilet stop in the queen stage, which was won by Nibali. He stood firmly in the pink leader's jersey after a real demonstration during the first time trial, but lost valuable time due to diarrhea. That turned out to be no problem because on the final day Dumoulin still triumphed after one of the most exciting endings of a big Tour ever. It didn't stop there, because in late summer Dumoulin won no less than two gold medals at the world championships: he proved to be the best in both the team time trial and the individual time trial. Guy Van Den Langenbergh (1968, Mortsel) is a cycling journalist at Het Nieuwsblad. He has been present in the great classics, numerous Giros and Tours and at many world championships since 2000. He is the author, with Nick Nuyens, of the reference book 100 keer Vlaanderen 1913-2016, about the history of the Tour (2016). And in 2017 he wrote the autobiography of Fabian Cancellara.